Instruments of Destruction
by Mountain King
Summary: The Clone Wars get an unexpected development which changes the Galaxy forever


Instruments of Destruction

Padmè Amedala had decided she needed a holiday. While she didn't like the idea of leaving her position as Senator, especially at a time of war, she was tired.

The endless arguments, the lies, back door politics, rampant egos. She needed to get away. Remember what was important, what it was she was fighting to save.

Leaving Jar-Jar behind to sit in for her at meetings (under the strictest instruction not to do anything without consulting a number of trusted advisors) she had gone back home. The city of Theed, on Naboo.

Naturally there had been objections, not least from the Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. The young war hero had argued, quite eloquently, that as a popular and respected senator she would be a target for the Separatists. Travelling without a guard would be dangerous. She had tried to persuade the Chancellor that Naboo security would be enough, but to no avail. Jedi Knight Skywalker had graciously volunteered to protect her.

Padmè had to admit he had a point. Should the Separatists send an assassin a talented Jedi would be better protection than the volunteer military of Naboo. Naturally he would have to stay very close to her. Just in case.

The fact that he was a Jedi meant his actions should be beyond reproach. Of course no one actually knew that the two of them were married and this whole break was really an excuse to have some time together.

Padmè hated lying. Her marriage was something she wanted to shout about. Love was something to be celebrated, not hidden. Another casualty of this senseless war. Were it over Anakin would renounce his Jedi vows, she could step down as senator and the young couple would be free.

Free to live the dream without responsibility. To be people.

Instead they were trapped between the twin jaws of duty and responsibility. Doomed to keep their feelings a secret lest they be used against them and everything they believed in.

Not for the first time Padmè lay awake in bed. The same thoughts running through her head. They tortured her. Sighing she turned over to find the other side of the bed empty.

Opening her eyes she looked around. Seeing her protector standing at the window to what was supposed to be her room alone. "Anakin?"

"You couldn't sleep." He said softly. "Neither could I. Something... something's wrong."

"It won't be like this forever." She told him what she told herself on nights like this. "It can't be."

He gave her a sad smile. "That's not what I mean. The Force is disturbed. It's a feeling that's been growing for a while now. I've only just noticed, but it's there. Somewhere."

Padmè got out of bed, pulling on a nightdress. "You can't tell?"

"I'm not Master Yoda." Anakin admitted. "But it's big."

The mystical powers of the Force was a mystery to her, but she knew enough to be afraid. Pulling the nightdress tight she moved to her husband's side. "We should get dressed."

Anakin nodded, he opened his mouth only to freeze for a second. "Too late. It's already here!" He gasped.

Behind him the familiar peace of night above Theed was shattered. Bright flashes of green appeared amongst the stars. A heartbeat later the howl of the alert siren echoed from every public speaker.

The invasion alarm. For the second time in recent history Naboo was under attack.

* * *

Anakin grabbed his communicator as Padmè ran to the dresser. "This is Skywalker. What's the situation?"

"Sir, a large fleet just appeared. They dropped out of hyperspace well within our gravity well! Defence ships are out of position. Planetary shields are powering up, but we already have incoming signals."

Anakin's mind raced. "Launch all fighters, we can't let them land troops! Get a message to all Republic forces in orbit, tell them to regroup before responding." He glanced to Padmè who was already half dressed. "Get civilians to the shelters. All higher ranking officials to evacuation ships. Have the new arrivals tried to communicate?"

"No sir."

Anakin closed his eyes, trying to read the situation through the Force. All he felt was confusion, and evil. An evil so vast it took his breath away.

"Don't bother challenging them then. Tell the pilots shoot first. We're on our way to security command."

"Understood Sir. One moment." The comm went quiet for a moment. "General, somethings wrong. We're already getting reports of battle droids in the city!"

Anakin silently cursed in Hutt. "They must have landed in advance. Get the word out to the planetary defence forces. We need them to set up defensive points around..." He never finished the order. He was interrupted by an explosion, blaster fire and finally a scream before the comlink cut out with a sudden hiss of static.

Padmè looked at him, he could see the question in those perfect eyes.

He shook his head. "We have to get you off the planet." He admitted, already knowing it was probably too late.

* * *

The sky above the Naboo capital was alive with weapons fire. Ever since the Trade Federation attack more than ten years earlier the people of Theed had dreaded another.

They had built defence weapons capable of protecting themselves from attack. Giant shield generators that could cover half the continent and advanced fighters with some of the best trained pilots in the Republic.

Some had called them paranoid, but with the Clone Wars underway many words were now following their example.

Sadly all that preparation meant nothing. The new invaders came too fast and no one was ready for them. The panicked ground fire was uncoordinated and far too ineffective.

First came the crescent shaped fighters, the roar of their engines shattering glass and sending grown men running in fear. They strafed defence platforms with bright bolts of green energy. Overloading relays and electrocuting weapon crews in an instant. Where they encountered civilians they brought a fire so intense that it turned stone to bubbling liquid. Melting statue and living beings with almost casual brutality.

Every pass of these scythe like ships sowing more destruction, more senseless panic and more terror.

Then came clouds of mechanical insects. So many they blotted out the stars themselves. Slipping in between the powerful planetary shields as if they weren't even there. They swarmed like locusts, drawn to power stations like moths to a flame. Feeding on transfer cables. Each of the countless scarab drones drinking raw energy by the mega-watt. Plunging the city into a darkness only broken by burning husks of planetary defence systems.

Next the enemy troops arrived. In bright flashes of green light they simply appeared. In the dozens they stepped out of thin air. Gathering around transmission towers and command post. Drawn to their emissions just like the drones had been. To the desperate defenders they were droids, but in truth they were both far more and far less. The warriors came, shambling, hunchback and cradling overly long weapons pulsing with unknown energies. Shuffling in a crude parody of life they looked like tall metal skeletons. The same sickly green power behind their lifeless eyes that was caged in the weapons.

When they fired it wasn't a blaster. Instead the weapons flayed skin from flesh, flesh from bone and bone from marrow. Their victims screamed as their very DNA was shredded. Their very neurones torn apart and cast to the ungodly winds like paper.

Finally, as the drones engorged themselves of the last dregs of power in the city, the shields came down. With no command, no shield to protect them and no support the lauded defence forces of Naboo milled around in confusion. Slaughtered helplessly in the night.

And then the real invasion began.

Great structures, the colour of black marble struck through with patterns of gold and dancing emerald energy, fell from orbit. Great repulsor-lift engines inside the monuments scattering smoke and debris as they landed. The giant crystals atop glowing with incredible, almost ethereal, power. Casting pale shadow on the city walls.

A squad of Naboo fighters, one of the few to launch, tried to intercept one of the monolithic landing vessels. A volley of torpedoes blew it to pieces, but before they could celibate they were shot out of the sky by three others. Their crystals sending out whip like bolts of green lightning that destroyed everything it touched.

Whatever small victories the Naboo defences had were few and far between. Their bravery was never in question, neither was their skill. But it wasn't enough. Theed has already fallen, it was only a matter of time before those that survived realised that.

It was the beginning of a war the likes of which the galaxy had never seen. A war that would change everything.

They were terrible and ancient. Powerful and ruthless. Immortal and infinitely deadly. They came from far, far away.

They were the Necrons and where they went reality itself was wounded.

* * *

Disclaimer:-

Star Wars is owned by Disney, the Necrons belong to Games Workshop.


End file.
